Lamanai High (GC19505) – GEOCACHE OF THE WEEK – January 10, 2013

This week, we will walk through a rain forest and climb the highest ancient Mayan temple to log a difficulty 5, terrain 4 micro geocache.

Located in the Orange Walk District in Belize, Lamanai High (GC19505) is known for the incredible experience that comes with finding the geocache. Not only is the temple the highest exposed structure of 108 feet (33 meters) for miles, it also provides a breathtaking view of the jungle and the nearby river.

Lamanai, a Maya term for “submerged crocodile,” is one of the largest and longest inhabited ceremonial centers in Belize. It’s an imperial port city that includes ball courts, pyramids, and several exotic Mayan features. Hundreds of buildings have been identified in the two-square-mile area, among the tallest of them is a cleverly hidden geocache.

It’s been said that “the difficult part is getting there.” Geocachers have the option of driving over rough roads or taking an organized day boat trip. Once there, the climb up the steep steps can prove to be a challenge despite the assistance of the rope. However, the final destination at the top of the High Temple provides a spectacular 360 degree view of the archaeological reserve, the exotic animals and forest, and the river.

Since February of 2008, Thumbs Up! has drawn more than 70 geocachers to travel to this location and experience an exciting adventure to find a cleverly hidden geocache.

Preparing for the climb

The geocache logs describe detailed and fun-filled adventures that may otherwise not have taken place. One geocacher wrote, “What an amazing journey Team Muddyloon experienced traveling to get to Lamanai High! After securing transportation for an hour long ride into the interior of the Belizean jungle, we arrived at a floating dock to board our boat for the second part of our journey. We set out at 34.6 mph up the twisting and turning crocodile ridden New River. Approaching some fishermen in a canoe, our driver slowed down while the fishermen pointed out a big green snake swimming swiftly to shore. Proceeding onward, we spotted numerous birds and the ripples of crocodiles along the shoreline.

Approached by a local

Approaching the ruins we felt like we had transported back in time, making us feel as if we were Indiana Jones. As we rounded a path the High Temple came into view. We stood in awe of the beautiful structure that was built over 3000 years ago and is still standing today. Now we had the daunting task of climbing the temple to the cache. As we reached the level the cache was hidden on we quickly searched and discovered the cache, signed the log and proceeded to the top of the temple. A beautiful 360 degree panoramic view granted us our final reward. Heading back down the river we were treated to unexpected bonus of seeing the branches of the trees along the river’s edge rippling and then seeing the long strong arms of some Spider Monkeys swinging towards us. One Spider Monkey dropped into our boat for a banana and to treat us to a close up view before swinging back into the jungle and disappearing from view. Thanks for an adventure of a lifetime!”

Continue to explore some of the most engaging geocaches around the globe. Check out all the Geocaches of the Week on the Geocaching Blog or view the Bookmark List on Geocaching.com.

If you would like to nominate a Geocache of the Week, send an email with your name, comments, the name of the geocache, and the GC code to pr@groundspeak.com.